


You First

by Shelbazoidz



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Bickering, Confessions, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Werewolves, i need to touch some grass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:13:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29074626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shelbazoidz/pseuds/Shelbazoidz
Summary: Creatures of the night. Tales of the lycan Dovahkiin and her vampire companion had spread across Tamriel like wildfire. Every criminal of Skyrim was terrified of the pair. The mere mention of their names would get one shushed. In battle the two were an unstoppable force of claws, fangs and magic but in their personal time things were much more...different.
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Serana
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Its 2021 why the fuck am I writing a Skyrim fanfic? Ya know living through this panoramic has made me realize time is meaningless so I should just do what I want. Enjoy!

Creatures of the night. Tales of the lycan Dovahkiin and her vampire companion had spread across Tamriel like wildfire. Every criminal of Skyrim was terrified of the pair. The mere mention of their names would get one shushed. In battle the two were an unstoppable force of claws, fangs and magic but in their personal time things were much more...different. 

A loose boot clocked Nuri in the head. “Ow! What the fuck is wrong with you.” She cursed, sitting up to glare at the woman on the other side of the tent. 

“We need to get a move on before the sun is up.”

“The sun isn’t even up?” Nuri threw the boot back before flopping back into her makeshift bed.

“Come on we’ve been traveling during the day the last two weeks for you. It's my turn to not suffer while we’re out.”

“Sounds like a personal problem, vampire.” Nuri smirked a little as she closed her eyes. Seconds past before she let out a yelp, feeling ice particles running up her back. She shot back up with a defeated sign. “You’re not going to let me sleep are you?”

“Nope. Now get your ass up.” Serana gave her a cool smile before exiting the tent. Most would think after travelling together for nearly a year the pair would have gotten along better. It was like this most days spent bickering their way across Skyrim. Nuri grumbled to herself as she rolled up her pelts, cursing herself for deciding to keep a vampire as company. They worked well together, even if they fought often. Nuri secured her greatsword behind herself, letting out a yawn. The bandit camp they’d been asked to deal with was only a few hours ride ahead. 

“Morning girl.” Her hand ran up the grey mare’s neck, Rozz gave her a small noise before nibbling at her hair. “Cut that out. I promise I’ll grab you some apples in the next town.” She chuckled lightly giving her one more pat. Another snort came from where Serana was standing. 

“You. You get nothing.” Nuri pointed at the other horse. Cecil glared back. She swore that damn vampire somehow enchanted that horse to hate her. Never in her life had a creature disliked her that much. 

“It's alright Cecil, she’s just an ass. You can have all the apples you want.” Serana spoke as if Nuri wasn’t standing right there. 

“Me? You-” Nuri closed her eyes. It was too early to start this with her or the damned horse. Wordlessly she packed up the rest of their camp, slinging her pack over her horse’s back before hoping on. Her eyes barely stayed open as they rode. The repetitive sound of hooves clicking on the weathered cobblestone nearly lulled her back to sleep. Reaching back she blindly felt through her bags until her finger tips grazed the top of a familiar bottle. The taste of the stamina position on her tongue was bitter and horrendous but she was in desperate need of a boost. 

“Those things are going to kill you one day.” Serana commented as she rode up next to her. 

“The gods won’t let me die that easy, trust me.” She looked to the darkened sky. Serana scanned her profile for a few moments. Nuri was stronger than any mortal she’d ever known but her casual flirtation with death was stressful to witness. The amount of times in the last year she’d brought this idiot back from death was getting absurd. 

“How you’ve survived this long without me is impressive.”

“Luck mostly, I think.” She laughed slightly. Serana shook her head with a small smile as they continued the rest of their ride in peaceful silence. The sky was still and inky black when a scent filled the air. 

Dirt, smoke, sweat and dried meat. A familiar symphony of smells to both of them.

“Think we found them.” Serana sighed. As much fun as clearing bandit encampments was she was not in the mood for it today. 

“Come on don’t sound so down. You could use a snack and I can test out a new tick I’ve been working on.” Nuri hopped out the saddle, undoing the straps of her armor. Pushing what little magic she knew to the limits was a favorite past time of hers. She had only almost blown herself up a few times. 

“Oh boy, what does this new trick involve?” She wanted to be as far away from Nuri as possible whenever she decided to try out whatever this new trick was. 

“It's a surprise.” Nuri beamed, kicking her boots off. They started towards the camp, both horses following behind them.

“You two stay, you know the rules.” Serana ordered, making them stop. They were great horses but just like the Dragonborn they did not care for their own personal safety. The horses of Skyrim seemed to love to charge into battle whether that was one man or a dragon spewing fire, they didn’t seem to care. Nuri gave Rozz one more pat to her nose before they continued to the camp. 

They waited right outside the wall, cloaked in darkness. Nuri did a few stretches, it usually helped shifting not be so uncomfortable. 

“Whenever you’re ready.” Serana teased, attempting not to stare as her stupid Dragonborn’s muscles flexed. 

“Shut up, Princess I’m working on it.” Her ears picked up an irritated noise from the vampire making her smile. Princess was one of her favorite nicknames for her, she knew Serana played up how much she hated it. With one more calming breath she let the shift happen, forcing herself to be quiet as her bone cracked twisted into a new shape. The process was never enjoyable but she’d gotten used to the pain over the years. When her eyes blinked open again she was now looking down at Serana’s unimpressed gaze. 

“Ready?” She asked again, receiving a curt nod. They had their route down to a fine art at this point. The entrance they usually did was completely unnecessary but these jobs got repetitive so might as well have some fun. Nuri waited on the other side of the wall as Serana made her way around to the opening of the fort. 

“Hello?” Serana called out, one of the men who was on guard duty jerking from his slumber. He rubbed at his eyes, blinking a few times when he realized the confused looking woman in front of him was not a dream. He slapped his other buddy in the stomach, waking him as well. 

“Oi, the fuck is- Oh…” He paused when he saw her. 

“Sorry to bother, I think I’m a little lost.” She let out a breathy laugh, making Nuri roll her eyes from her spot. How men always felt for this act was beyond her. 

“You’ve come to the right place.” A taller imperial man stepped forward.

“Could you just point me in the right direction?” Serana asked innocently. 

“No no it's way too dangerous out there.” One chimed from the back, not even hiding how he was scanning her body. 

“Yeah stay until it's light out, we’ll have some fun.” He stepped close, the smell of stale ale seeping from his pores.

“I-I don’t know. I’m just trying to get home.” She took a step back but he gripped her by the waist, pulling her closer. Hearing the interaction forced Nuri to suppress a growl. She wasn’t being possessive; she just didn’t want his gross hands on her...on Serana. 

“It's just a few hours.” He tried to persuade, his buddies nodding in agreement. 

  
  


One of the older men was staring at her from afar. As he watched the interaction his brain suddenly remembered a description he’d overheard a few weeks ago. A beautiful face. Dark hair. Strange armor. _Deadly._ Realization dawned and his hand shook as she reached for his axe. 

“Get away you fools! It's her! That’s the vampire!” He shouted but it was too late. The bandit that had touched Serana was already crumpling to the ground, his blood pooling into the dirt. Golden eyes flickered under the torch light, an unearthly glow emitting from them. 

The sound of something thumping on the ground had all the panicked men turning to see a hulking shadow looming behind them. The beast tested the air, its head whirling to two bodies of what looked like three Khajiit travelers. They were stripped down to their small clothes, all their belongings that had no use to the bandits were piled up next to them. Nuri’s lips curled, white razor sharp teeth glistening. The men flew into action, yelling out warnings and trying to get to their weapons.

The wolf and the vampire moved like two shadows. No one's eyes could focus on either attacker until it was too late. Serana’s dagger already dripped with blood as she dodged a blast of lightning. She flew the creaky wooden stairs, shooting a spear of ice straight through a mages chest. The man didn’t even have time to attempt to put a ward up. She didn’t linger on his sightless eyes, the ball of fire coming from across the camp sent her rolling out of the way. _Since when do bandits have this many fucking mages?_ Her attention was so focused on the mage she didn’t see the archer lining up a shot. 

Nuri threw a bandit across the camp, his scream fading as he crashed into a post. A dagger stabbed into her shoulder, forcing her to turn around. She stared down at a terrified...kid. The shield he was holding had to be twice his size, he could barely hold it up. Nuri growled and reached up to rip out the blade, tossing it to the side. His body shook while she debated what to do. After deflecting three more bandits that came at her she came to a decision. Reaching out she picked the kid up, the boy letting out a whimper as the wolf carried him through the battle. She placed him outside the gates. The boy looked up at her, tears streaking down his face. 

Nuri didn’t kill children, he might have a chance to change. She let out a snarl and that got him going. His body fell to the ground a few times before his short legs carried him in the direction of the nearest town. Nuri jumped back into battle, taking down men left and right. Blood dripped from her muzzle as she waited for her next target. On instinct they drifted to where Serana was. She found her hurling ice spikes at a mage across the camp. The grin on her face meant she was having fun with it at least. Nuri’s little smirk fell when she noticed where the archer was aiming. 

Even in this form she wasn't going to be fast enough before the archer released the arrow aimed right at Serana's heart. Now was the best time than ever to test out her new trick. 

Nuri focused, clawing for the magic that was always out of her reach in her beast form. Her teeth ground together, the tendrils of magic creeping into her. The chain that had been holding her back from this finally snapped. 

"FUS RO DAH!" Her voice came out in a mangled growl, the entire battle freezing to a stop. All eyes turned to her, not even bothering to look at the archer who'd been blasted off the side of the tower. Serana’s mouth hung open like everyone else’s before a slow grin spread across her face. The bandits were still in shock, they're blood running cold. If this wolf could use magic they were all truly dead. 

"That the new trick?" Serana asked through the silence. Nuri focused again, channeling more magic. Flames appeared between her claws. The man in front of her dropped his sword in utter terror. 

"Yes." Her gravelly voice replied before launching the ball of fire at the nearest bandit. That got the fight started again. As she ducked out the way of axes and arrows she figured out she could only use flames and a few shouts. Apparently using magic like this was much more difficult than she planned. Resorting back to teeth and claws was her best bet, she could experiment more later. Nuri quickly padded through the lower levels while Serana scanned the upper ones for any lingering bandits. Thankfully, it was clear so they met back up in the center of the courtyard. 

“Not bad.” Serana nodded, already feeling her skin start to prickle at the first rays of sun. Nuri let out a satisfied grunt as they turned to exit the camp. 

“So how long have you been working on the lycan magic?” Serana asked while walking back to the horses. Speaking more than one word or a shout still wasn’t completely possible so Nuri paused, holding up two claws. 

“Days? Weeks? Months?” Serana guessed while Nuri shook her head. “Years then?” That got her a nod. “You’re committed to doing the impossible.” Serana swore Nuri laughed at that, a deep rumbling noise filling the air. 

“Always.” 

“That’s still creepy. You need to work on speaking if you’re going to do it.” Serana gave her a mildly disturbed look. 

“Trying.” Her voice growled. 

“I’ve been alive for a long time Nuri and I can tell you that’s nightmare inducing.” She laughed lightly. Nuri let out another deep laugh as the horses came into view. They took the horses to a nearby river to drink while Nuri waited to shift back. Serana sat by the edge in her leggings and a tunic, washing the blood off her clothes. It was always amusing to see her in different clothes. Without her armor on she always looked so harmless and relaxed. Her brows came together as she tried to get out a particularly difficult spot of blood. Nuri watched her, feeling her heart flutter slightly at the sight. She tore her eyes away back to the flowing river, trying to focus on anything that wasn’t Serana. The irritating undead woman drove her mad but she couldn’t deny the part of her that was attracted to her. She was beyond beautiful, anyone with eyes could see that. It was more than that for Nuri. They complained about each other frequently but the pair had become best friends over the past year. Nuri truly enjoyed Serana’s company on all her adventures.

She shook the thoughts from her head, deciding a nice cold dip would cure her jumbled thoughts. Strong hind legs propelled her into the river with a large splash. 

“Hey! Watch it, mutt!” Serana shouted at her. Nuri looked at her for a few moments before shaking her fur out, sending more droplets of water everywhere. Serana held up a middle finger to the wolf, before noticing the sneaky expression. “What are you doing?” She eyed her as Nuri stalked forward.

“Don’t. You. Dare.” Her warning was cut short when Nuri pounced her, shaking out the rest of her wet fur as Serana struggled underneath her.

“You smell like a wet dog! Get off!” She kicked under Nuri’s weight. Her leg pushed out, launching Nuri across the field. She landed with a thud, slowly shifting back as she laughed. 

“That’s always fun.” Nuri chuckled before she suddenly felt completely drained, her laugh dissolving into a harsh cough. Serana's annoyance melted into worry.

“Are you okay?” 

“I think I may have overdid it at the camp.” Nuri coughed, feeling every ounce of magic in her body depleted.

“Probably. I'm pretty sure your wolf and human brain have the same level of intelligence.” Serana walked from the river’s edge, going to sit under a tree. Away from the morning rays of sun and to keep any eye on the Dragonborn. Nuri ignored the insult, grabbing some dried elk out her pack and a magicka potion. They weren’t nearly as bitter as stamina potions but still tasted awful. She followed it with a generous sip from her canteen to wash away the flavor. 

Serana watched the water trickle down her chin. The sun always cast a pleasant warm glow on her skin this time of day. Nuri’s mother had given her the dark skin and tightly curled hair of a Redguard but she had distant angular features of an Altemer from her father. Little freckles dotted over her face, down her neck and over her shoulders from years of too much sun. Serena absolutely had not been falling in love with all these little details over the past year. Eyes followed Nuri as went to the river to wash the rest of the blood out of her hair and clean her own armor. She came back to where Serana was sitting, digging through her pack again. She pulled out some oil mixture that always smelled divine, rubbing into her thick hair. It was always fascinating watching her routine. 

Nuri turned, catching her eye. If she could Serana would have reddened at being caught staring. She let out a cough, turning to look at the horses as they grazed. Nuri gave her a little smirk before they both relaxed under a tree. Serana napping as the Dragonborn flipped through a novel, her eyes drifting over to the sleeping form next to her. The shade of the tree cast a pattern of shadows over her beautiful skin. Soft lips relaxed as Serana let out even breaths. 

Nuri's heart skipped a beat. 

* * *

  
  


The Jarl paid them a hefty amount of coin for clearing out the bandit camp, giving them another job right after he paid them. Hagravens apparently were hiding out in a cave near the town that needed to be dealt with. 

“I’m not jumping for it.” Serana folded her arms, not wanting to play Nuri’s games.

“Come on.” She chuckled, holding Serana’s share of the gold up above her head. 

“No.” 

“You’re no fun.” The sack of gold was tossed in Serana’s direction. Not like either of them really needed the money at this point. They gathered up some supplies for the trip before stopping at the stables in town. Nuri paid the owners a lot of gold to house their horses properly while they were gone. The woman who owned the stables almost refused to take Nuri’s money because she was the Dragonborn. Nuri insisted, paying almost double the usual price. The horses weren’t going to be any use for the mountain they were about to scale. Last thing they wanted was either one of their beloved beasts, breaking a leg. 

The city slowly disappeared from sight as they continued their way towards the mountain. Serana tugged her hood in a vain attempt to hide her face from the sun.

“You knew we could have stayed in town until dusk right?” Nuri asked, looking out the corner of her eye at her. 

“I’m not in the mood to be around that many people.” Towns were always crampped and people stared at her often. 

“Alright if you burst into flames, I’m not sweeping you up.” Nuri squinted up at the sky as they started walking. 

“Least I’m not howling at the moon.” Serana grumbled under her breath. 

“You know you vampires have a real superiority complex.”

“What?”

“You heard me. You all always talk shit about the rest of us when you’re just like us.” She kept walking down the path, looking at the trees.

“I’m not like you.” Serana snapped, she wasn’t even sure why the idea bothered her. Vampires just didn’t associate with anyone else besides their own kind. That rule she’d obviously broken so why the hell did she snap like that? 

Nuri stopped in her tracks. “Hmm...Molag Bal is your Hircine. You’re controlled by the sun instead of the moon. Heightened senses, my sense of smell is better might I add. You drink human blood for power, I eat hearts.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “And you can transform too but you just choose to hide from your beast, instead of embracing it.” 

There it was. 

The idea of shifting just for fun made Serana’s skin crawl. She only ever did it for absolute emergencies. “I don’t like how it makes me feel.” Was her reply. 

“Why not?” The fire in Nuri’s eyes was pretty much extinguished at the pained look on Serera’s face. 

“Because I-...nevermind.” She tried to stalk off but Nuri grabbed her arm.

“Tell me, please. I want to understand.” Nuri pleaded and Serana stared into those brown eyes for a few moments. She trusted her with her life, might as well trust her with more secrets. 

“Whenever I change I can hear him.” She hugged herself trying not to cringe at the thought. Nuri nearly asked ‘Who?’ until she remembered who _h_ e was. “He tells me all sorts of things. Terrible cruel things. That’s why I avoid it.” Molag Bal’s words still stuck in her head from the last time she was forced to shift last year. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Nuri felt a pang guilt for bringing it up. 

“It's alright. I’m sorry for making you feel lesser. I’ll be better with my words.” She paused, a smile returning. “I won’t stop calling you a mutt though.”

“Didn’t think that was going to happen anyways, Princess.” They continued, a few seconds of silence passing. 

“Had you been saving up that ‘we’re similar’ speech for a while?”

“Gods it felt like forever!” Nuri tossed her hands up making them both laugh. 

  
  


A few hours had passed, Nuri’s sensitive ears suddenly picking up a sound. She tested the air a few times before letting out a surprised gasp when she recognized the smell. Hurriedly, she pushed Serana behind a tree. 

"What?" Serana whispered as she was pressed into the tree. She hadn't heard anything out of the ordinary. It wasn't something dangerous judging by the goofy grin on the Dragonborn’s face.

"Look." She whispered, pointing to the path. Serana followed her direction, eyebrows coming up. A fox walked out hesitantly onto the path, its eyes darting left and right. Once it deemed the area safe it padded quickly to the other side and paused. 

"What's it-" The rest of Serana's sentence was silenced by Nuri's finger on her lips. Before she could try to speak again, two tiny tan pups popped out from the brush. Skittering quickly to where their mother stood. Serana looked back to Nuri whose eyes were sparkling with adolescent glee. 

"I love foxes so much. Elusive little things." Nuri whispered, feeling Serana staring at her. The fox pups played for a few minutes, their little squeaks made the pair smile. Suddenly the mother looked to the sky before quickly ushering her pups back into the treeline. 

"What spooked them?" Nuri wondered out loud before feeling the hair on the back of her neck rise. It was an unwelcome familiar sensation. “Always a fucking dragon!” She cursed, her greatsword sliding from behind her. The first roar filled the sky and they both groaned.

“Maybe if you’d actually get on with it with Alduin, they’d quit.” Serana argued. 

“I’m working on it! It's not easy.” 

“Sure, whatever. I’m going to handle this one.”

“Without me?” Nuri raised a brow. 

“We’ve killed like 20 of these bastards. I’m pretty sure I can handle one.” She rolled her eyes when Nuri dramatically perched herself on a rock. Resting her head on one of her hands. 

“Alright when you get eaten, I’ll make sure to sell Cecil to the best butcher in town.” 

“Touch him and you're dead.” Serana called over her shoulder as the dragon roared overhead. 

“Vampire ash is great for alchemy!” Nuri sat back with a smirk as the irritated vampire shot her first of many shards of ice at the dragon. “I don’t think that’s working!” She shouted after three minutes of this. 

“Shut your mouth!” Serana yelled back. That woman was going to drive her off a cliff one day. Stupid dumb obnoxious werewolf. She was so caught up in her muddled thoughts and trying to not get eaten, her mind barely registered the sound of another roar. 

Nuri watched amused as Serana nearly took down the dragon. The creature was on the ground now, its defenses crumbling against Serana's spells. Her head suddenly snapped to the left when another twin roar filled the air. It came out of nowhere. The second dragon dipping low in the sky, heading straight towards Serana. Without thinking Nuri launched herself from the rock, greatsword already gripped in her hands. The dragon’s jaw opened ready to snap Serana in two. Nuri barely made it time. The dragon collided head first into her sword. It let out a shrill noise of pain, the sound turning into an odd gurgling as its mouth filled with blood. Its body fell forward, the speed taking Nuri with it. Serana’s heart sank as the dragon tumbled across the ground, the other beast she was fighting let out a deep noise. Without looking at it she speared the thing right through a wound on its neck. It fell limp to the ground while Serana rushed over to the other dragon. 

“Nuri!” She called out in panic. It worsened when there was no reply. Her shoulder pressed against the scaly hide as she tried to push the dragon off of her. The body budged only a few feet before it began to crackle, the flesh melting. She’d watched this happen so many times but this one felt like it was taking an eternity. Eventually all there was left was bone and her reckless Dragonborn right in the middle of them. Serana tossed the humongous ribs out of the way, falling to her knees. 

“Don’t you dare be dead.” Her voice shook when Nuri didn’t move. The soul of the other dragon seeped into her, her body illuminating to the point Serana had to look away. As soon as it dissipated Nuri took in a breath, groaning when her ribs ached. Everything ached. Eyes blinked open and she saw Serana looking down at her. A mixture of relief and pure anger. 

“What were you thinking? Jumping in front of a dragon like that?” Her hands quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. 

“I didn't think.” She replied weakly. As much as Nuri wanted to reach up and wipe the rest of Serana’s tears away she didn’t dare try to move in fear of whatever might be broken besides her ribs. She was just happy Serana was safe. 

“Thank you for saving me but please think of your own safety sometimes.” 

“Nah, I’m good.” Nuri gave her a wink before passing out. Serana let out a deep sigh, the grip of panic lessening. Even severely injured this mutt still sassed her. She didn't want to try to move her in this condition so Serana decided to set up camp here for the evening. It wasn't the best spot but it would do. The dragon bones actually provided a decent shelter from the chilling winds. 

Nuri woke periodically throughout the rest of the afternoon. Mostly from the searing pain as Serana healed her injuries in different intervals. Doing them all at once might have killed her. 

The fourth time she woke it was dark outside, a fire crackling next to them. She watched the flames dance until Serana came into her line of sight.

“Drink this while you’re up.” She cradled the back of Nuri’s neck to help her drink. The liquid was warm and calming with that familiar floral scent. It tasted like home. Nuri’s eyes blinked back open. 

“Did...did you make my mother’s tea?” She rasped. 

“Yes. I’ve watched you make it enough times. Does it taste right?” 

“Hmm...could use a little more lavender.” She teased with a soft smile. 

“Can you be nice for two seconds.”Serana sighed.

“It tastes perfect, my mom would be impressed. Thank you for making it and healing me up.” She tried to sit up, a jolt of pain shooting through her arm. Her body flopped back into the furs Serana laid under her. “Fuck.” 

“I didn’t get to your arm yet. Too busy dealing with the internal bleeding and your leg.” 

“I got it.” Nuri winced as warm yellow light swirled around her arm, the bones shifting back to where they should be. Slowly she sat back up, testing putting weight on the appendage. Thankfully the pain was dull now, but enough to be annoying. 

“Be still. You’re going to hurt yourself...again.” She tried to push her back down but the always stubborn Dragonborn waved her off, setting up with a pained grunt. 

“You happy now?” Serana crossed her arms as Nuri let out a breath. 

“More tea would make me very happy.” Those brown eyes blinked up at Serana. 

“I don’t like you.” The vampire leaned over, filling the cup once more. 

“You like me a little because you could have let me die.” 

“I’m regretting it already.” She mumbled while taking a sip of the tea. It didn’t do anything for her but it was delicious. Nuri’s mother was a genius and every bit as insane as her child. She’d only met the woman once but the Redgaurd had made quite the impression. 

Even after sleeping half the day Nuri still felt bone tired. After a few more minutes of pretending like she wasn’t, eventually Nuri let herself lay back down. Eyes drooping closed even as she tried to fight it.

“I’m going to be so sore tomorrow.” She mumbled already half asleep. 

"You absolutely are. Now, go back to sleep." Serana rested a hand on top of hers. The move was done unconsciously, almost like she had to make sure Nuri was actually here. She’d come so close to dying. The thought made Serana want to tear up again. Losing her would probably be the thing that finally broke her. 

"I am, I am." Nuri replied, gently squeezing Serana’s hand in return. Her heartbeat slowed as she drifted back to sleep. 

Serana kept watch for the rest of the night. Her hand never moving from Nuri's. 

* * *

The ward creaked, barely withstanding the flurry of fireballs thrown at it. Serana grunted from the force as she protected them from the flames. 

"The Jarl made this seem like an easy job!" Serana yelled.

"Jarl's lie!" Nuri replied from behind Serana’s ward. 

They had been able to sneak and kill the first two before the third caught on to them. She was not happy that her sister’s had been murdered. The flames that were hurled at them felt more intense than dragon fire. Serana rushed forward, ward in place as another ball of fire was gathered between the hagraven’s fingers. Nuri was able to dash around, slicing the head clean off before the next ball of flames was released. The body fell to the ground. Nuri ripped her helmet off, trying to cool off from the stifling heat of the cave. 

“We need a vacation.” She breathed, wiping the sweat off her brow.

“Agreed.” The idea of a relaxed trip with Nuri sounded perfect. Serana grimaced as she held the bag open so Nuri could plop the third head into the sack the other two were in. 

“Squeamish vampire.” She teased, taking the sack from Serana’s hands. 

“Blood is one thing. Decapitated hagraven head is another.” Her hands wiped at her pants as Nuri chuckled. 

Snow had just begun to fall heavily outside the sun dipping low in the sky. The duo stood at the mouth of the cave, debating their next move. 

"Should we stay here? That storm doesn't look too good." Serana noted.

"I'd prefer not to stay.” Nuri’s nose wrinkled in disgust. The smell inside the cave was not a pleasant one. “I think there's a place we could stay for the night west of here." 

"A hagraven den is better than freezing to death out here." Serana watched the snow build up on the ground.

"You're dead anyways. Besides I love the cold!" 

Nuri's idea bit them in the ass.

They shivered, trudging through the snow that was now up to their knees. 

“I thought it was going to be closer than this.” Serana said while trying to keep her teeth from clattering. 

“Me too.” Nuri didn’t even have it in her to sass the vampire right now. Her eyes were glued to the horizon as she begged for the house to appear. She knew the abandoned cottage was in the area, but the sheet of white in front of them was making it a little difficult to find. Thankfully the gods did not feel like being cruel today, the cottage coming into view. Both of their shoulders sagged in relief. It took some digging to unblock the door, the pair tumbling inside. Nuri hurriedly rummaged in one of trunks pulling out the wood to arrange in the fireplace. She ignited the pile while Serana ripped her drenched cloak off. 

“Still love the cold?” She asked, wincing when the melted snow on her head began dripping into her face. 

“Absolutely.” Nuri’s smirk wasn’t very convincing when her body continued shaking. They laid their outer layer of clothes out to dry before huddling by the fire. Nuri began to warm up, her eyes flickering to Serana who still looked paler than usual and was still shivering. 

“When’s the last time you fed?” She asked. The bandit camp had been nearly a week ago and she didn’t recall Serana feeding between since. 

“What are you, my mother?” Her repose lacked its usually teasing tone. 

“No, you just look like shit right now.” God why was it so hard to just say something nice to this damn vampire. She let out a sigh while Serana gave her an annoyed look. 

Without thinking too hard about what she was about to offer she replied; “Come on then.” Fingers tugged down her tunic, exposing her neck. 

“You want me to feed from you?” Serana gave her a disbelieving look, eyes already drifting to the tantalizing expanse of skin.

“Sure, not like we're going anywhere soon.” Nuri gestured to the door that was already packed with more snow. “And the last thing I want is you going feral on me while we're stuck here.” 

“I wouldn’t go feral.”

“Sorry, you’d go into a coma and I wouldn’t have anyone to mess with then.” She averted her gaze as she spoke, not able to look into those golden eyes right now. 

“Are you sure? It's pretty um...intimate. Unless I'm draining whoever I'm feeding from, it's not much fun then.” Serana looked down at the floor too. 

“Yeah you told me that last time, I remember. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t drink all my blood.” The trip to the Soul Cairn to find Serana’s mother felt like it was decades ago. Nuri had spent hours debating if she was going to relinquish Hircine’s gift to be allowed inside. She’d refused, making the trip harder than it needed to be since she wasn’t at her full power. 

“I won't.” Serana scooted closer. “Are you ready?” 

“Yep.” She shook her head, feeling a little nervous as Serana came closer. A hand rested on Nuri’s leg, the other coming around the back of her neck. “Do...do we have to be this close?” She knew the question was stupid, how else would Serana feed. But this position was not helping her think straight. 

“We don’t have to do this. I’ll probably be fine until the storm is over.” Serana’s breath ghosted over her neck. 

“Yeah right. Just be...gentle.” The waver in her voice did something to Serana, all her senses were focused on the familiar pulse. Her fangs extended at the intoxicating smell. She made a big deal about hating the wolf smell that oozed off of Nuri but honestly she’d started to like it over the past few months. The combination of dragon and wolf blood made for a rather unique scent. Nuri’s heart beat faster as she neared, her fangs just barely touching her skin. “Do it.” Nuri mumbled, trying to keep her breath steady. Serana let her teeth pierce skin, hearing a sharp intake of breath. 

She barely suppressed a groan when Nuri’s blood touched her tongue. Her mind resisted the immediate urge to take in hungry gulps. She'd never tasted anything like this before. The deep earth flavor obviously from the wolf was merged with this almost sweet tingly taste of dragon’s blood. Both molding together into something that was perfectly Nuri. Serana let it slowly tickle into her mouth, the longer she fed the more the sweet taste of Nuir’s blood deepened. The little noises Nuri was trying to suppress, grew louder. This was obviously having a pleasant effect on her.

  
  


Nuri was trying her hardest to not make a sound, breath coming faster. Her resolve to keep quiet was crumbling. When Serana said this was intimate she didn’t think it would be like this, not that she minded. Her entire body felt like it was buzzing. Serana’s hands shot electricity through her with every slight movement. Fangs dug a little deeper into her neck, Serana’s tongue running over her skin. A high pitched moan escaped Nuri’s lips, eyes immediately snapping open. Serana pulled back, a small drop of blood on the corner of her lip. They stared at each other in stunned silence, chests heaving.

“I-I don’t know what that was.” The words rushed out as Nuri felt her face heat. Her head ducked in embarrassment when a cheeky grin spread across Serana’s lips. Serana reached out, turning Nuri’s chin up to look at her. 

“That was cute.” Her low tone had Nuri ready to pass out right there. She was good at many things but taking compliments from beautiful women was not one. 

“Shut up. Are you done or what?” Deep down she hoped she wasn’t, that had felt way too good. 

“A little more.” Serana leaned back in the delectable flavor filled her mouth again, making her eyes slide shut. 

At some point Nuri had fallen forward, straddling Serana’s midsection as she lost herself in the feeling of those lips on her neck. She’d stopped feeding a few minutes ago, her lips now pressing delicate kisses to Nuri's neck. The small marks from her fangs had healed easily. Her tongue slowly ran up the side of her neck. Nuri shivered. She resisted the urge to grind her hips, not sure how far they were taking this. Fingers flexed on her hips, the pressure driving her crazy. She sat back, gazing down at Serana who looked absolutely flustered beneath her. 

"What are we doing." She breathed. 

"I think we're doing what feels right?" Serana replied, sitting up so Nuri was sitting in her lap. Her hands ran up Nuri’s back, distracting the poor Dragonborn. 

"I just-" She bit her lip when nails scratched lightly back down. "I just don't want us to start whatever this is unless I tell you this.” 

“Alright?” Serana replied.

Nuri took a breath. “Even though we fight...a lot, the last year I've been with you has been really amazing. I wish I'd tell you more often but really do care about you." 

"Nuri, you nearly got eaten by a dragon for me. I know you care. I care about you too." Their foreheads pressed together while Serana tried to gather her thoughts. "I felt like I was alone for so long. Then here you come." They both laughed softly. Nuri slid her hand up her cheek. Serana leaned into the touch, savoring the feeling before a mischievous smile spread across her face. She turned her head slightly, one of her fangs pricking Nuri’s thumb. 

The Dragonborn rolled her eyes. “You had to ruin the moment di-” Her words got stuck in her throat when Serana’s tongue curled around her thumb. The action should not have flustered her this much but the reaction Nuri’s body was having proved otherwise. Serana smirked devilishly at her. Gods they were in love with each other. They couldn't say the words just yet so Nuri simply closed the distance. Serana's lips were a little cool, not freezing like she’d had imagined. Serana’s arms wrapped around her middle, holding her close as Nuri’s hands twisted into her hair. The vampire let out a low noise when her fingers tugged slightly. The sound reignited the flames in Nuri's belly. Hips shifted looking for some sort of friction.

Serana managed to let them fall forward so Nuri was beneath her now as she rocked her hips forward. A gasp came from Nuri, her hand gripping Serana’s forearm. Clothes were hastily peeled off, both of them desperately needing to feel the other’s skin. Without the layers of clothes between them, Serana rolled her hips again and Nuri let out a curse. Their eyes locked, the intense emotion was enough to draw Nuri closer to the edge. Serana rocked into her, not breaking the heated gaze. Nuri was trying desperately to draw this out, never wanting this moment to end. Teeth tugged at her earlobe, sending more ripples of pleasure through her. A whispered ‘ _Let go_ ’ was all it took for Nuri to see stars, her whole body stiffening with a drawn out moan. Minutes ticked passed while she tried to come back down, taking in a few hungry breaths. Her eyes blinked open when she could feel her limbs again. 

Nuri enjoyed the little noise of surprise Serana made when she rolled them over. She did wish they thought about doing this somewhere more comfortable not wanting Serana on the old hardwood floor. That thought dissolved when Serana’s breathy voice whispered her name. She pushed past her own haze of lust, wanting more of those moans from the vampire. Fingers found the perfect pace that had nails scratching down her back. Serana nearly apologized for being too rough but was met with a feverous kiss that took her breath away. Nuri was so gentle with her, it had been a long time since someone touched her with such care. Words were barely needed as Nuri followed every cue of Serana’s body. The vampire writhing and gasping as she worshipped every inch of her. 

“Don’t look so smug.” Serana panted when she had to ask for a few seconds to get herself together, her body over sensitive.

“I wasn’t.” Nuri replied with a grin, her head resting on Serana. She could see that tell tale look Nuri usually got in her eye before she said something stupid. 

“Don’t say whatever you’re thinking”

“But it's a good one.” She pouted slightly. 

“Can you save it for later and just kiss me?” Serana asked, tilting her head up with her index finger. 

“Yes, ma’am.” Nuri grinned, pressing their lips together again. 

The moon sat high in the sky as they got lost in one another. Conveying every emotion they’d been trying to hide over the last year with delicate motions and whispered affirmations. 

* * *

"Absolutely not." Serana said as they peered up at the waterfall. Mist rolling across the water.

"I don't think it'd kill me." Nuri replied, trying to gage how tall the falls were. 

"This is our second day of what's supposed to be a peaceful vacation. That'll be ruined if you break every bone in your body."

"I won't, I won't. It's not that tall." Nuri grinned excitedly. Serana let out a deep sigh. 

"I'm not healing you if you break something." 

"I can live with that!" The idiot Dragonborn shouted as she ran off to the peak. Serana shielded her eyes from the sun as she watched her climb the side of the fall. Midday at a sunny waterfall was not somewhere any vampire would find fun but turns out Dragonborn blood made the sun not affect her at all for a few days. 

"Ready?" Nuri shouted down at her.

"As I'll ever be!" Serana watched as Nuri disappeared over the lip of the fall. Serana waited for her to jump. A few tense moments passed. Had she changed her mind? 

Nope. 

Nuri just wanted a running start. She lept off, a giant grin on her face like a child. Loud laughter could be heard just before she plunged into the water. The fool popped back up, still giggling.

"You've got to try that!" She shouted, treading water. 

"No." 

"Live a little!" She splashed water in her direction. 

"I'm dead!" Serana laughed in reply, eyeing the fall. It did look a little fun. Hanging around Nuri must be making her lose her mind as well because next thing she knew she was standing on top of the fall looking down. Yes, she's absolutely lost her fucking mind. 

"You'll be fine! Don't think about it too hard!" Nuri's voice called from below. 

Serana didn't trust her voice to respond, instead following Nuri's words. She felt nothing but air rushing past her. It was actually pleasant, free falling. Her body suddenly hit the water forcing her to paddle back to the surface. 

"You did it!" Nuri swam over, brushing Serana’s hair out of her eyes. 

"I'll admit it was pretty fun."

"I must be rubbing off on you." She grinned and Serana splashed her. 

"Yeah now we're both going to get killed." Water splashed again when Nuri swam over to her, pulling her close. 

“Least well have fun before then.” Her brows wiggled. 

“I can’t stand you.” Serana laughed lightly before kissing her, both of them smiling into it like love struck fools. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fell in love with these two while writing this. That was nooot supposed to happen, yet here we are. I hope you guys liked it too! Leave a comment and let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so like most of my stories, this will probably end up being three chapters. I won’t commit to a third just yet but I have an idea for one more. I’ll leave it at two for now but we’ll see. Hope you guys like this one though!

"Achoo!" The Dragonborn sniffed, squinting at the late afternoon sun. 

The sound of what felt like Nuri's millionth sneeze of the day made Serana look at her. She'd heard Nuri sniffling throughout the previous night and now the Dragonborn looked uncharacteristically drained. "You're sick." 

"I'm not! I haven't been sick in years." The retort was followed by another sneeze.

“Sure you haven't." Serana didn't buy it. "Morthal is a few hours away, don’t you keel over before we can get you something to help with-” The rest of Serana’s sentence was cut off when Nuri started coughing. “That.” She finished. Humans did get sick. It was an aspect of existence she had nearly forgotten about. 

Nuri drank some water, trying to soothe her itchy throat. “I don’t even know where the hell I would have even gotten a cold from.” 

“Scaling a snowy mountain without the proper attire could do it?” Serana said, side eyeing her. 

“Hey! We were not going all the way back just because I didn’t have heavier clothing.” 

"Yes yes you've told me that." Her heels kicked Cecil’s sides, the horse picking up the pace. 

"Oh so you're just going to leave the sick person behind?" Nuri shouted after her while urging Rozz to catch up. 

"I thought you weren't sick?" Serana looked over her shoulder, laughing when Nuri flipped her off. 

When they entered the city Nuri shuffled behind Serana as they weaved their way through the maze of pathways. As difficult as it was to admit, Serana was right. Nuri was sick and she felt like shit. She refused to waste any of her expensive potions on a stupid cold and for some godforsaken reason healing didn't seem to fix it either. They wandered the confusing city until they saw a sign that hopefully would be the right place. When they walked inside the woman behind the counter nearly fell off her stool when she recognized the pair. 

After hearing Nuri was sick she quickly set off to gather ingredients from around the shop. The pair had to fight back a smile as they watched her. She was obviously flustered from their presence. There was a slight pink tinge to her cheeks as she worked, sneaking a glance at them every few moments. As flustered as she was her expert hands still quickly muddled all the ingredients from memory. She poured the contents into a small cup, sliding it across the counter. 

"This should do the trick." She nodded shyly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Nuri picked up the cup and gave it a curious sniff. It smelled earthy and faintly sweet with a hint of...was that ash hopper jelly? With a shrug she drank the entire cup in one gulp. The taste wasn't too bad but liquid made her limbs feel tingly, almost like when she too much mead. 

"Just make sure you eat something and drink lots of water." The woman added. 

"I'm starving so that shouldn't be a problem. Thank you." She smiled at her and the woman blushed harder. 

"You're welcome, I'd do anything for you both." The reply came out and the woman's eyes went wide. "Anything to _help_ , you both." She corrected, feeling like her face was on fire. 

"Any recommendations for somewhere to eat?" Serana asked. 

"Yes, if you head back down the stairs and take two rights there's a tavern that serves the best meals in the city." She barely made eye contact with Serana as she spoke, fearing she’d forget how to do so if they locked eyes. 

"We’ll go there then." Serana set down some coin on the counter, flashing a smile that made her fangs show slightly before biding her farewell. As soon as they left the woman gripped the end of the counter, feeling lightheaded. That interaction was going to play in her mind for the next month. 

"You were going to give that poor woman a heart attack." Nuri teased as her nose picked up the delicious smell of food. 

"Why?" Serana feigned innocence. 

"You gave her that smile!" Nuri was laughing, she knew all too well how dangerous that smile could be. Something about that cheeky smile made her not be able to think straight. 

"What smile? All I did was thank her for making you feel better." Serana laced their fingers together while they walked down the stairs. 

"Were the fangs necessary?" 

"The fangs are always necessary." The words were whispered into Nuri's ear, making a shiver run down her body. 

She felt better already. 

* * *

  
  


The tavern that had been recommended was fantastic. Nuri had three plates stacked in front of her as she munched on the leg of a chicken. Serana sat drinking a single cup of tea. The drink had grown on her since Nuri drank it almost every day. There were so many flavors and combinations to explore she found herself eager to try new varieties. 

"How are you feeling?" She asked when Nuri's mouth wasn't full of food. 

"Better. Not sure what was in that drink but I feel pretty good now." The ache in her body had disappeared, her throat no longer felt itchy and the stupid sneezing had thankfully stopped. 

"Good." Serana patted her thigh while taking another sip of her tea. The touch made Nuri's brain stutter. Serana would never admit it but she was extremely handsy. Since she and Nuri had gotten together she could barely go an hour without a casual caress. It wasn't always sexual but it still made Nuri's heart skip a beat every time. She put her hand on top of Serana’s choosing to eat with one hand instead. When they finished their meal they took a walk around the city. It was rare they ever had any down time. As quick as it came the down time left when a man called out to them as they passed by. 

"Excuse me! You there!" He shouted and they both paused. 

"Yes?” Nuri asked, knowing by the look on his face they were about to get dragged into something. 

“Have you seen anyone enter or exit this house?”

“I’m sorry no, we’re not in the city often.” Her reply had the man rubbing his chin in thought. 

“None of the permanent residents seem to know anything either. It's very strange.” 

“Is there something wrong with the house?” Serana asked. 

“Not sure yet. I’m Tyranus and I'm with the Vigil of Stendarr. We believe this house might have been used for Daedra worship. Evil rites and so forth.” He spoke still mildly distracted by his own thoughts. Nuri and Serana looked at one another, not really sure to go from here as the man was lost in his own thoughts. “But I suppose I should go in and investigate even if no one knows anything.” He nodded slowly. 

Nuri looked him over. He absolutely did not look ready to go toe to toe with any kind of Daedra.

“Would you like some help?” She offered even though she didn’t really want to, she also didn’t want to see the man get slaughtered. 

“You two do look like competent fighters. Sure, let's head inside.” He agreed before turning to push the door open. 

“Competent fighters?” Serana mouthed the words to Nuri and she had to stifle a laugh. Serana wasn’t sure why but she didn’t care for Tyranus. They’d only spoken with him for a few moments but as they entered the house something in the back of Serana’s mind told her to hurt him. The intrusive thought was alarming and she quickly put it to the back of her mind as the door slammed shut behind them. She looked back, a pit growing in her stomach. Instead of focusing on the sinking feeling she tried to investigate their surroundings. 

The house was a mess, that was obvious. Tables, chairs and other furniture were all overturned, their contents spread across the floor. The air was stagnant, the smell of rotting wood and molded tiles filled the air. The three cautiously explored the main living area for any clues. The pit of fear Serana was feeling only grew worse the longer they stayed. 

“I think we should keep going.” Tyranus said after the room held no clues. The thought of going further into the house made Serana want to go right back out the door. Nuri could see the fear written across her face even though she was trying her best to hide it. 

“Give us a moment please.” Nuri asked and he nodded, going to another section of the house to investigate further. She turned to Serana who was staring at the front door, ready to bolt at any second. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like this.” Serena whispered. 

“It does feel strange doesn’t it.” Her eyes scanned the house suspiciously, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Both of them could feel the odd energy buzzing from the home as soon as they stepped in it. “I know he said this was Daedric but it doesn’t feel like an ordinary Daedra.” Nuri looked suspiciously down the dark hall while Serana’s hands twisted nervously as she stood ready for something to jump out at any moment. 

“If you don’t feel up for it I can keep going with Tyranus and you can stay here.” She put her hand on Serana’s shoulder, expression sincere.

“I’m not leaving you alone even if I am afraid.” It was difficult to keep her voice steady. Even in the most intense battles she and Nuri had been in, she never felt this kind of fear. She had only felt this once in her life and it was a memory she desperately tried to forget. 

“Okay, just stay close.” Nuri reached out, taking Serana’s hand in a firm grasp. As they ventured deeper into the home, Serana’s panic was reaching a point where it was almost unbearable. She was trying to keep her body from shaking but there wasn’t much she could do to stop it. 

Something was extremely wrong with this house. 

They followed Tyranus through the dimly lit halls, all on high alert. The eerie fog seeped through the halls, not helping their mounting nerves. They eventually came upon a locked metal door. Tyranus was unable to open it and just as Nuri shifted around for a lockpick a voice filled her head. 

_“Weak. He is weak. You are strong, crush him.”_ The gravelly tone hit Nuri’s mind with such force she swayed a little. After rapidly blinking she listened for any sign of another person in the home but heard nothing. Brows came together in confusion as she looked at Serana out the side of her eye. Her face was nervous but still mostly neutral, she hadn’t heard the voice. Was she losing it? Wearily she reached for her pack again, but out of nowhere the room started to blur. 

  
  


It seemed like the walls were shaking, forcing Nuri’s hand to go to her head. 

“Nuri?” Serana’s arm held her up while the voice snaked into her mind again. 

" _Kill him. Crush his bones. Tear at his flesh._ " This time Serana went still, the blood in her body running impossibly colder.

“ _Ah Serana. You can hear me now. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Do as I say and end him since your companion seems to be too cowardly to do so._ ” His words were followed by deep laughter that made Serana want to curl onto the floor, cover her ears and sob. 

“No!” She screamed into the air. Tyranus jumped at the sudden outburst, his own fear etched across his face. 

“W-what is going on?” He asked, eyes flitting back and forth between the two women. 

“I know who it is.” Serana knew that voice. She could never forget it. 

“Who? Who are you talking about?” Tyranus’s panicked voice called but was ignored as Nuri looked to Serana. 

“Is it _him_?” Nuri asked, receiving a slow nod. “We need to leave. Now!” They all rushed back to the door, the voice whispering in Serana’s mind. 

“ _This is not a choice my dear Serana. I own you. You will kill whether you want to or not._ ” Molag Bal’s voice made her want to throw up. 

“I won't!” Serana balled her fist, nails digging into her skin hard enough to draw blood. 

“ _You. Will._ ” He commanded and Serana could feel her body moving towards Tyranus against her will. 

“No. No. I won't.” Her voice cracked, the muscles in her body stained as she tried to keep them from moving. The feeling of her fangs sliding out only made her panic rise. He had some control over her, she knew that. She could hear his voice on occasion but it was never like this. He could never force her to do anything.

“Serana, what is he saying to you?” Nuri asked. Serana took another step toward Tyranus in response. 

“He’s...he’s trying to make me kill...him.” The words came out through gritted teeth. 

“Stop her, please. I want to live!” Tryanus pulled on the front door to no avail.

“Serana, you need to fight it.” Nuri stood between her and Tyranus. She watched Serana’s golden eyes shift to a blood red, her gaze locked on the man.

“I can’t.” She croaked as a single tear rolled down her face. The sadness was cut short when the voice ordered her to kill once more. She let out a choked noise before trying to lunge past Nuri. With lightning fast reflexes Nuri deflected the attack, forcing Serana against the wall. 

“You have to fight him!” Nuri yelled while Serana trashed against her grip. 

“I can’t...I-” Her voice cut off suddenly, eyes glazing over. “I'm going kill him.” Serana’s voice barely sounded like her own. 

“Fuck.” Nuri cursed. Gods Serana was strong. “Try the damned door again!”’ She knew it wasn’t going to work but they had to do something. The nearly animalistic growl Serana made forced a fearful whimpser out of Tyranus. The sudden hum of magic made Nuri realize exactly what was about to happen. She let out a string of obscenities when Serana started to transform. She had only seen Serana do it once but would never forget how charged the air felt when Serana went into her other form. Serana’s skin turned to a sickly grey, wings sprouting from her back.

Nuri would not survive a fight with her if she stayed human. 

“Tyranus, I need you to run and find a room and lock yourself in it.” When she didn’t hear him move she shouted. “Now!” Her voice was already deep and gravelly from her own partial shift. It got him running. Seconds past before she heard a door slam shut, lock following after. Once he was hidden she let the shift fully take her. She prayed it would happen fast enough before Serana got to Tyranus. Bones cracked and moved, it was so painful when she rushed it. A kick hit her square in the chest, sending her flying to the other side of the room. Nuri skidded to a halt, quickly righting herself to face Serana again. 

Serana had her hands on her ears, a frustrated sound echoing around them. She was still trying to fight it. The battle was ultimately lost when red eyes looked up, all traces of the woman Nuri loved were gone. The vampire let out a feral hiss at her, Nuri releasing a deep growl in return on instinct. She didn’t want to fight but the vampire didn’t seem to be leaving her much choice.

“Don’t.” Nuri growled in one last warning. The word fell on deaf ears as the vampire came at her, quick as lightning. Deflecting was all Nuri was focused on. She didn’t want to hit her but it was getting more difficult with every attack. The jumbled thoughts in her mind were too distracting and she missed razor sharp nails slashing at her. They caught her right on the muzzle, slicing a deep wound. Nuri let out a yelp of pain. Warm blood dripped down her nose. The vampire cackled as her tongue lapped up the blood on her nails. 

Nuri needed to get her head on right, she loved Serana with all her heart but that love would get her killed right now if she didn’t fight properly. When the vampire came at her again she didn’t hold back. Her clawed hand tossed the vampire across the room, sending stacks of books flying everywhere. The vampire snarled at her while blood magic curled in the palm of her hand. 

That was going to be a problem. 

As much as it pained her, Nuri knew she was going to have to stop that hand at all cost before she got hit with the deadly magic. She got down on all fours, waiting for the vampire to take the first shot. When the first blast came, Nuri darted around the room. She could feel the blast of cold from each one as they grazed past her. 

When the vampire needed to recharge her magicka, Nuri took her chance. With a silent apology she ran at her at full force, her teeth clamping down on the hand. The vampire shrieked, tugging to get away. Razor sharp claws scratched down Nuri’s back but she held on. Her other arm ripped the claws out of her back, while the vampire thrashed against her grip. Suddenly a knee came up right into Nuri’s jaw and forced her to release. The vampire looked down at her injured hand, the rage filled look made Nuri brace for the next attack. 

Out of nowhere the vampire burst into a cloud of bats. Before Nuri knew what happened, the vampire was behind her. She didn’t have time to react before teeth sank into neck. Nuri howled, quickly flinging the vampire over her shoulder. Pain radiated through her, more blood seeping into her fur. The vampire wobbled back to her feet, preparing to attack again. This needed to end now before one of them got killed. When the vampire came at her once more, Nuri caught both of her arms with all of her strength. The sheer force of the attack made her fall back into the floor. The vampire loomed over her, fangs bared in a rabid snarl. Nuri's arms shook slightly as she held the vampire back. Her own teeth were bared as their eyes were locked. Nuri could faintly see the fear and pain hidden behind all the rage Molag Bal had filled her with. 

“Sorry.” Nuri apologized once more before headbutting her. The vampire was stunned just enough for Nuri to kick her legs out. She winced when she felt a rib crack under her foot as the vampire rolled across the room. Every wound she had to inflict made her heart break a little more. Nuri struggled to her feet while the dazed vampire tried to stand. Before she could, Nuri let out a shout. The force propelled the vampire back into the wall. The rock cracked on impact. Slowly the vampire’s body melted back into a human form, her body slumping to the ground in an unconscious heap. 

Nuri waited a few moments to see if Serana would wake back up. When she didn’t move Nuri finally let herself breathe. The pang of guilt she felt for hurting her was pushed down. Now wasn’t the time for it. They needed to get out of here. Nuri grit her teeth and used all her fading energy to ram into the door, the metal creaking. She backed up to the furthest wall and ran at it once more, the hinges finally gave way.

It was dark out now, most of the city was thankfully asleep. The distant glow of the guards torches was rapidly approaching their location. All the noise had obviously attracted them. Nuri rushed back into the house, picking Serana up as delicately as she could. She carefully cradled Serana’s injured arm against her chest, hoping she wouldn’t wake back up. A fight out in the open would be an absolute disaster. Nuri’s ears flicked as she listened to the heavy footsteps of the guards that were coming from both directions. She looked up, her ears flattening back before she let out a groan. Of course going up would be their only way out. 

All her muscles hurt but Nuri pushed upwards, leaping onto the rocky wall. It was difficult to cling to the surface with only one arm. Serana was tucked into her other side, still unconscious. Before the guards could get any closer, Nuri climbed higher. Paws slipped slightly as she clawed up the wall. Silently she begged to not be spotted when the shouting got closer. Just as hoisted them out of sight the guards got to the abandoned house. 

She quickly started running, trying to get as much ground between them and the city. Molag Bal’s hold on Serana would hopefully be gone by the time she woke again. 

* * *

  
  


Crickets chirped in the darkness. The little fireflies floating around were the only source of light while grass crunched under Nuri’s feet. She’d been pacing the last hour. Her eyes looked to the moon as she tried to take a few calming breaths. If Serana woke up and was still under Molag Bal’s control Nuri wasn’t sure what she would do. A pained groan made Nuri whirl around, her entire body tense as Serana sat up. Groggy golden eyes looked around. Serana jumped slightly at the sight of the hulking figure sitting across from her. 

“Oh.” Serana let out a breath. “It's you.” She relaxed when she realized who the wolf was. Nuri hadn’t shifted back in case Serana woke up ready to fight again. She cautiously came over to Serana, eyes scanning over her for any sign of Bal’s control. 

“My head is killing me. What happened?” Serana asked. Worry started to grip her when Nuri didn't meet her eyes. "What did I do Nuri?" 

“You...attacked.” Nuri’s speaking voice when she shifted had improved over the last few months but it still took her a moment to get out full sentences. 

“I don't understand. I can't remember anything.” 

“Molag Bal...forced you...to try and...kill.” Nuri said and Serana felt anguish clawing up her throat. 

“Did I hurt anyone?” 

Nuri shook her head. “No.” That was an obvious lie. There was blood caked into her dark fur, a slash scarred Nuri’s muzzle as well. 

“I did that.” Serana’s voice shook slightly as her breath started to come quicker. “I-I can hear him sometimes but he’s never been able to...to control me like that!” The sudden burst of anger made Nuri jump. She padded over closer, unsure of what to say. Serana’s hands were balled into first as she punched the ground.

“Fuck.” The anger was cracked with a deep sadness. “I hurt you. I hurt you and I couldn’t do anything to stop it because even with all this power I’m still not strong enough to fight _him_.” 

There were no words Nuri could say to fix this. So she did all she could and nuzzled into the side of Serana’s face. Wordlessly Serana reached up, burying her face into the thick fur on Nuri’s neck. The warmth and comfort radiating from her made Serana relax slightly. They didn’t say anything for a while, Nuri let Serana try and gather herself back together. Having someone force their way into your mind was something she couldn’t imagine. So she held her close, her eyes sliding shut as she let Serana process. 

After a few more minutes there were words muffled into Nuri’s chest. 

“Can’t understand.” Nuri replied. 

Serana pulled back. “I’m sorry for hurting you.” She didn’t meet Nuri’s eyes as she spoke. 

“It's not...your fault.” God talking in this form was hard. Nuri focused and slowly felt herself shifting back until Serana was sitting in her lap. She cleared her throat before trying to speak again. “It's not your fault. You weren’t in control.”

“But-”

“No buts. You didn’t do this. He did.” Nuri winced slightly when she tried to lift her arm. She tried again and let the healing magic curl around the wounds on her back, neck and face. They had healed partially thanks to the wolf blood but that didn’t dull the ache of the injuries.

“How’s your hand?” Nuri asked, remembering how she bit her. Serana’s brows came together, she hadn’t even noticed the puncture marks on her hand. 

“This was you?” Her fogged memory was coming back slightly. It was almost like watching it in third person. The blurry movements of Nuri, biting down on her hand came back in choppy pieces. 

“The blood magic was not easy to deal with so I had to...do that. I’m sorry.”

“If I don’t get to apologize, you don’t either.”

“Deal. But let me fix it at least.’ Nuri gently took Serana’s hand, letting the warm magic flow into her. “Is your head alright. You hit the wall pretty hard too.”

“I just have a little bit of a headache but nothing too bad.” There was another moment of silence as Serana sat in deep thought while Nuri’s hands ran up and down her back.

“I have a question.” 

“I’ll try and have an answer.” Nuri’s easy soft smile made Serana melt further into her touch. 

“Do you think I should cure myself?” Her words made Nuri’s hands stop. 

“Of vampirism?” She asked, receiving a slight nod. “Is that something you want? To be mortal?” 

“I don’t know. I’ve thought about it but I’ve also been like this for so long I don’t know if I could go back.” She let out a sigh, resting her head on Nuri’s shoulder. The thought of being mortal again was terrifying but a small part of her felt like it could be freeing. 

“I’m not sure that’s a decision I could make for you. Vampire or human, I'll always care for you. I just want you to be happy. Whatever happened in Morthal, I think it had something to do with that house. All your years of being a vampire, that never happened correct?” 

“Correct.”

“I don’t think it would again as long as we steer clear of places where he has influence. But if vampirism is something you no longer want, I’ll support you no matter what.” Nuri pulled her back to look in her eyes so Serana would know she was sincere. 

"What if when I'm human I'm too weak to fight with you." _To protect you._ She didn't say the second half out loud. 

"Serana even if you were human, you would still be one of the best mages on the earth." She smiled when Serana nodded in agreement. 

“I suppose I have a long time to think about it and if it's something I decide in the future...I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” She stared into Nuri’s eyes. “Can I ask you another question?”

“Of course.”

“Can you kiss me?” Her voice faltered slightly, thumb running over the light scar on Nuri’s cheek. Even if she knew it wasn’t true, part of her was terrified that Nuri would no longer want her. She was scared one day Nuri would wake up and decide she was too much trouble. The swirling thoughts were silenced by warm lips pressing against hers. Serana sighed into the kiss, letting herself get lost for a few moments in an attempt to forget about the day's events even if it was just for a few minutes. Her fingers clutched at the front of Nuri’s shirt in desperation as she tried to deepen this kiss. As if she could read her scattered mind, Nuri pulled back. 

“Hey hey, I’m not going anywhere. Lets slow down.” Nuri ran her hands up Serana’s arms. She knew Serana was trying to forget but having sex wasn’t the right way to do that right now. 

“Promise?” Serana whispered. 

“I promise.” Nuri kissed her gently once more. 

“I don’t think I’ll be okay for a while after...today.” She murmured against Nuri’s lips. 

“I understand. I’m here for you.” 

“Thank you.” Serana felt her throat burn from unshed tears so she pulled Nuri impossibly closer. Nuri laid back into the soft grass, Serana resting on top of her. Her arms held Serana as they listened to the peaceful sounds of the night. 

* * *

  
  


“Where are you taking me.” Serana asked as she held Cecil’s reigns, walking in front of him while they went through a particularly narrow pathway. It was a crack between two mountains and he was slightly nervous as the walls got closer and closer. Serana ran her hand down his nose to soothe him as they kept going.

“Just trust me.” Nuri singsonged as she and Rozz confidently led them into the darkness. It was pitch black, thankfully they both could see where they were going. After a few minutes of walking in complete darkness the light sound of trickling water could be heard. The cave they were in slowly started to brighten until it opened into a strange space. It reminded Serana of the Ancestor Glade they had been in years prior but it was a little smaller and there were bits of light from the outside that peaked through the roof. A small stream of water dripped from the melting ice at the top of the mountain, the flow of the water settled into what looked like a hot spring. Steam bellowed around the multiple pools of water that were littered about the cave. The pink colored petals from the exotic looking trees filled the space with a pleasant floral scent. While Serana was wrapped up in looking around the space, Nuri took Cecil’s reigns from her hands. Taking the horse’s bridle off so he and Rozz could rest before she set up a quick campsite. She found Serana crouched by an interesting looking plant. 

“How did you even find this place?” Serena asked in wonder as pinched velvety leaf between her middle finger and thumb. 

“By accident some years ago. Me and Rozz were on the run from some unsavory people. I took a chance by running into that cave and ended up here.” She shrugged as Serana stood back up. “I figured it would be a good place to relax for a while. The hot spring is lovely if you want to try it.” 

"How come whenever it comes to relaxing with you there's always a body of water?" Serana quirked a brow at her. 

“Because bodies of water are relaxing!" Nuri tossed her hands up like that was an obvious answer. “Come on, we can get in now if you want?”

“That sounds great.” 

“Good, go sit there then.” Nuri pointed to a large rock. Serana gave her a questioning look but went over and sat down. 

  
  
  
  


“What are you doing?” Serana asked as Nuri pulled off her boot for her. 

“Helping you relax.” Her hands massaged up Serana’s leg. 

“Well it's working.” Serana let out a pleased sighed as nimble fingers repeated the action with her other leg. Nuri simply smiled up at her before continuing. Nuri took her time slowly taking off each article of clothing and running her hands over the newly exposed skin. Serana felt her muscles relax under her touch, it was the first time in the last few days she felt even slightly at peace. She didn’t need to sleep but it was nice to just rest every now and again but that had been impossible. Every time she would close her eyes she would flash back to the abandoned house. 

“Come back to me.” Nuri whispered softly, snapping Serana back to the present. 

“Sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize. It’s alright.” She placed a kiss on Serana's shoulder. “Go get in, I’ll be there in a second.” 

“Okay.” Being fully naked in such an open area was a little strange but it wasn’t a bad feeling. She tip-toed over the grass to where the hot spring was. Steam bellowed around her as she stepped in. The water was almost too hot but it didn’t bother her as she slowly lowered herself in. A content noise escaping. 

“How’s the water?” Nuri called as she laid the rest of her clothes on the rock. 

“Hot.” She replied with a soft smile, her eyes closed. Nuri came to the water’s edge, watching her for a few moments. It had been difficult seeing Serana struggle with what happened at the abandoned house. Nuri desperately wanted to help but she knew in reality only time could. 

The sound of Nuri stepping into the water made Serana crack an eye open. Nuri was waist deep in the water, a gentle smile on her lips. 

“You’re so pretty.” Serana noted happily. 

“You’re not so bad yourself.” Nuri grinned as she came over. She let herself be pulled into Serana’s lap, her arms wrapping around her neck. 

“This is very nice.” Serana hummed, her eyes sliding shut again. 

“I’m glad you like it.” There were a few moments of silence before Serana spoke again. 

“I’ve been so tired.” She sighed. 

“I know, darling.” Nuri’s fingers slowly carded through dark locks of hair. “Just rest for a while, I’m right here.” 

“I like it when you call me that.” Serana murmured, loving the feeling of Nuri in her lap. 

“I’ll keep that in mind, darling.” She grinned harder when Serana looked up at her with a playful scowl. 

“Don’t over use it, you’ll wear off the charm.”

“Of course, darling.” Nuri laughed when Serana gave her an exasperated sigh.

“You’re insufferable.” She could help but smile as she looked into those warm brown eyes. 

“Insufferable, yet fun to be around.” Nuri smiled, tilting her head slightly. The move always was so canine but Serana never said out loud about it, knowing Nuri would probably hate the comparison. 

“Yes, you are very fun to be around.” She chuckled lightly before leaning in for a gentle kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough chapter for them but you know if I do one more its just gonna be like 98% fluff y'all.


End file.
